As you note, the hardware seems underpowered. Especially for Volumio, which has always been on the heavy side.
I’ve used a bunch of other streamers, including several Pi-based ones with Ropieee, which were basically flawless. I got the Stream in a hurry for a new system during the time Pis were very hard to find, and it never worked as reliably as those Pi+Pi2AES assemblies. However, for this particular DAC (Soekris dac2541), what I prefer is USB, so the Pi2Design hardware is not relevant, nor something like the Holo Red. On two other systems, I use teeny mini PCs running the NAA image with Intona USB isolators to drive Holo DACs, totally flawless for several years.
My take - not the strongest wi-fi on this thing (a problem for DSD and 24/192), so I have it plugged into the Ethernet port on a Mesh Wi-fi extender thingumabob. Basically though mine has worked and continues to work flawlessly as the daily driver in my office system right up to 24/192 and single-rate DSD over USB to a number of different DACs (right now my Quad Vena II integrated amp).
I have never updated the firmware, as I’m a firm believer in not updating f/w on devices that are working. I also tend not to power it down/shut it down these days as it is in use every day.
Okay guys. There are stutters after the last update too. Version 2.32.12.
I’m thinking about throwing the device in the trash. It’s sad because it wasn’t that cheap.
This is the first time in my life I’ve come across such blsht.
Same here. Got mine in December 2022. It did not have the stutters then, but there were other issues with it falling out of the network and needing rebooting. That’s why I updated firmware. I don’t use it regularly (it’s in a different location that I only visit a few weeks/year) so I only caught up with the stutters in Dec 2023. I tried the latest firmware this September, same issue.
I’ve had it since January 2022, if I’m not mistaken. I don’t use it for very long periods of time (like several hours) now because it’s serving as a streamer on a headphone system in my desk. In the past it was being used in my main system and would be working for longer periods. I’ve had it connected mostly to two Zen Dacs via USB, but also via coax into a Hegel integrated. Anyway, i wish you may be luckier with other streamers. There’s so many in the market right now.
I had the same problem. I bought the Zen Stream through Amazon. I had it for six months and found it very temperamental. The occasional drop-outs were a real pain. In the end I returned it for refund and now have the rather excellent SOtM sMS-200 Neo which is faultless.
I could try if you gave it to me. But with what should it be flashed?
In any case, I can try to dig into the services and scripts and replace them with older versions even on the current version of the OS.
Let me see if I can still find it on my computer and I will upload it and share a link and instructions here.
It’s a complete replacement firmware for the Stream
